Tug-hook.



Patented May I, I900.

M M M P PETERSON TUG HOOK.

(Appl tonfilefim'ar 11 1599) (No Model.)

wi/lmemos I UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

PETER PETERSON, OF REELS, IOlVA.

TUG-HOOK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 648,429, dated May 1,1900.

Application filed March 11, 1899. Serial No. 708,705. (No modem T0 aZZwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER PETERSON, a citizen of the United States,residing atReels, in the county of Pottawattamie and State of Iowa, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Harness Attachments; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of the present invention is the provision of a hook orattachment for harness which will admit of a strap being easily andquickly applied thereto and which will prevent the accidentaldisengagement of the strap when coupled.

The device is of such construction as to admit of its use in connectionwith traces or tugs, Whiffletrees, thills, and the like.

The improvement is described more particularly hereinafter, claimed, andshown in the drawings hereto attached, in which- Figure l is aperspective view of the device, showing it applied to a tug or trace.Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the device, per se, inverted. Fig. 3 isa longitudinal section, the latch being projected across the throat ofthe hook. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, the latch being turnedaside bythe finger, so as to admit of the detachment of the device fromthe whiftletree-hook or the uncoupling of a strap therefrom if appliedto the whiflietree or thills.

Referring to the drawings, in which like parts are indicated by the samereferencenumerals, the hook 1 is shown as applied to a tug or trace 2and as composed of a clip 3, shank 4, bill 5, and pivoted latch 6. Ashoulder 7 is formed at the base of the shank 4, and the bill 5terminates a short distance from the shoulder, so as to form a space 8,-through which the part to be coupled has free ingress and egress. Theshank widens toward the clip, and its sides come flush with the sides ofthe clip,.thereby preventing the formation of projecting corners orparts which would be liable to chafe the horse or the harness. A

This depression is deepest atthe end subjacent to the transverse openinga, whichlatter extends through the outer side of the shank for a purposepresently to be explained. The formation of the depression does notweaken the shank, because the increased width thereof more thancompensates for the material removed to form the recess. The decreasingwidth of the shank as it approaches the closed end of the hook isproportionate to the gradual diminution in depth of the recess 9.

The latch 6 is of substantially elbow form, and its butt is maderounding and pivotally connected to the shank of the hook by means ofthe pin 10. This latch is adapted to fold into the depression 9, so asto offer no obstacle to the free passage of the part to be applied tothe hook into or from the throat thereof. The bent end 11 of the latchextends at such an angle as to project across the space 8 and preventthe accidental with drawal of the part or link after it has been engagedwith the hook. This bent end is adapted to enter the shallow part of thedepression 9 and is made tapering to lie snugly therein and forms withthe shoulder 7 a mouth or flaring space 12, which admits of the easy andready application of the device to the part to be attached thereto. Theouter terminals of the end walls of the opening a flare, and the wall 19at the base of the shank, about in transverse alinement with theshoulder '7, inclines in an opposite direction thereto to provide forthe movement of the latch when open, as shown in Fig. 4. In eitherextreme position of the latch it obtains bearings at twodiagonally-disposed points of contact, said points of contact beingpositioned upon opposite sides of the pivot-fastening 10. This isplainly shown in Figs. 3 and 4. When open, the latch has its butt orheel portion resting against the wall I) and its toe entering thedepression 9.

It is to be understood that the latch operates by gravity and alwaysoccupies a pendent position and normally extends across the throat 8.The butt or rounding end 13 of the latch projects a slight distancebeyond the plane of the outer side of the shank to be engaged by thethumb or finger of the hand when it is required to fold the latch toadmit of the uncoupling of the device. The finger when engaged with thebutt of the latch is moved and effects a turning of the latch, asclearly indicated by Fig. at.

Having thus described the invention, what is-claimed as new is 4 As anew and improved article of manufacture, a tug-hook comprising spacedplates joined at one end by a cross-bar, which crossbar has its outerface reversely and rearwardlyinclined from a central point to formupper,'lower and intermediate shoulders, a hook comprising a shankextending forwardly from the upper portion of the cross-bar andwidest atits rear end, and a bill at the forward end of the shank, said shankbeing formed in its widened rear end with a transverse opening extendingdiagonally thereth-rough in the direction of inclination of the upperinclinedshoulder of the cross-bar, whereby its upper and outer end opens7 through the shank at a point in the rear of its lower and inner end, ashoulder being formed at the front of said opening and facing said upperinclined shoulder and a longitudinal recess provided in the under sideof the shank and communicating with the said lower and inner end of thetransverse opening, and a substantially elb ow-sh apedgravity-latchhaving its straight arm or body portion pivotally mounted upon a pinextending transversely across the opening and its angular arm or tonguearranged obliquely thereto, the construction being such that when thelatch is open the straight arm thereof obtains bearing against the upperinclined shoulder and the inclined arm against the upper wall of therecess, and when closed the said straight arm bears against the saidintermediate shoulder of the cross-bar and front-shoulder wall of theopening and the toe of the oblique arm against the extremity of thebill, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature -in presence of two witnesses.

